nothing to lose, everything to remix

very excited about this album, which arrived in the mail this week. Versions is the second remix compilation to be released by the DJ duo named Thievery Corporation. Rob Garza and Eric Hilton began the collaboration in washington d.c. in the early nineties, with Hilton previously taking in the aesthetics of the cities storied punk/hardcore scene while Garza on the other hand, seems to be responsible for the subtle nods to classic and atmospheric rock found on their albums. it was a shared interest in jazz and bossa-nova though that led to the pair not only forming Thievery Corporation, but also starting the Eighteenth Street Lounge Music label (named after the DC club owned by Hilton). Thievery's diverse mix of trip-hop, soul jazz, psyche-pop, dancehall and dub finds itself recreating seventeen tracks that range from usual suspects such as Astrud Gilberto, Herb Albert, Transglobal Underground and Bebel Gilberto to a few surprises such as the Doors and Fear of Pop. there is also an original track featuring reggae singer Sister Nancy. the end results are hyptnotic and soothed, the perfect soundtrack to a stylish, but relaxing, downplayed weekend.

Isabelle Antena (Thievery Corporation) "Nothing to Lose"